outpoint

IPA/ˌaʊtˈpɔɪnt/
IPA/ˌaʊtˈpɔɪnt/

outpoint — verb

  • outpointpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • outpointshe / she / it
  • outpointedpast simple
  • outpointing-ing form

1. to beat someone in a sport such as boxing by gaining a higher point total over t

1.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to beat someone in a sport such as boxing by gaining a higher point total over the course of the match.

Example

Ishaan outpointed the defending champion across all twelve rounds at Madison Square Garden.

transitive: outpoint + opponent (boxing context)

The young Cuban boxer outpointed Andrew on every judge's scorecard last Saturday night.

collocation: outpoint on the scorecards

Common collocations
  • outpoint an opponent
  • outpoint someone on the scorecards
  • outpoint someone over [N] rounds
Synonyms
  • beat on points

    everyday phrasing for the same idea; less formal in sports reporting

  • best

    broader; works for any contest, not specifically points-based

  • defeat

    general win; doesn't specify how the win was achieved

Antonyms
  • lose to

    the opposite outcome, from the perspective of the defeated fighter

Grammar Patterns

outpoint + opponent

Usage Note

Subject is usually a boxer, fencer, or other point-scored combat athlete. Almost always used in the active voice with a named opponent as the object; the implied scoring system is the judges' card, not a knockout.

Common Mistakes

The team outpointed their rivals 3-2 in the football match.
The team beat their rivals 3-2 in the football match.
'outpoint' is reserved for sports judged on points (boxing, fencing), not goal-based sports.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe winning a contest, but they differ in scope and specificity. 'Outpoint' is the narrowest: it only applies to sports judged on a points system, such as boxing, fencing, or amateur taekwondo, and it implies the winner came out ahead on the judges' scorecards rather than by knockout or submission. 'Beat' is the everyday all-purpose verb, fine for any kind of contest from chess to football. 'Defeat' is slightly more formal and is common in news reports, but says nothing about how the win was earned. 'Best' is literary or dated, often used for one-off skill contests rather than ongoing sports. For example, after twelve close rounds, a sports reporter might write 'Ishaan outpointed the champion' to signal a judges' decision, but a casual fan would just say 'Ishaan beat him'.

outpoint ↗beat ↗defeat ↗best ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • outpoint someone on points
  • outpoint by a unanimous decision

Prepositions

  • over [N] rounds
  • on the scorecards

Etymology

Old English (out-)Old French (point)Modern English

Formed in late nineteenth-century English by joining the prefix 'out-' (meaning 'to surpass or exceed') with the noun 'point' in its sporting sense of a scoring unit. The combination grew up alongside the rise of amateur boxing under the Marquess of Queensberry Rules, when judges began awarding points round by round and a way was needed to describe a win secured on the card rather than in the ring.